Five VC executives look ahead to crypto investment trends in 2026: cooling down the bubble and moving towards maturity and long-term development.

According to Odaily Odaily, after the global crypto sector received over $25 billion in venture capital funding in 2025, many investors believe that 2026 will be a pivotal year for the industry, marking a shift from "narrative-driven" to "mature implementation." Several VCs from Coinbase Ventures, Galaxy Ventures, CV Labs, OKX Ventures, and Morningstar Ventures indicate that future investments will focus more on real-world needs, institutional compatibility, and long-term infrastructure. Hoolie Tejwani, head of Coinbase Ventures, stated that perpetual contracts have evolved from simple price speculation tools into synthetic market vehicles that build upon real-world assets and macroeconomic signals. Coupled with clearer regulations, 2026 is "more like a maturation period than a hype period." Mike Giampapa, partner at Galaxy Ventures, believes that stablecoins and tokenized assets will continue to be the main drivers of long-term structural growth, with institutions replacing traditional financial tracks through blockchain. Francesca Conti of CV Labs points out that regulation is clearly releasing institutional demand, and there is still room for expansion in the penetration of blockchain in emerging markets and real-world industries. Jeff Ren, founder of OKX Ventures, emphasizes that capital will flow to projects that are deeply compatible with traditional finance, regulatory systems, and stablecoin payments, rather than short-term narratives. Petr Martynov, head of growth at Morningstar Ventures, adds that opportunities in 2026 are more at the application layer, especially "seamless" DeFi consumer products, and the role of blockchain in verification and settlement in AI and automation systems. Overall, many VCs agree that crypto investment in 2026 will be characterized by "less hype and more patience," shifting the focus from the infrastructure race to sustainable applications, institutional collaboration, and real-world economic scenarios. (DL News)